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2014′s Best & Worst College Cities & Towns in America | Wallet Hub

High school seniors face a tall laundry list when prepping for college: From taking standardized tests and gathering letters of recommendation to submitting college applications and applying for financial aid, the final months before the big decision can be hectic. And to help students winnow their school choices, a visit to their prospective campuses can offer a taste of the college experience.

When touring universities and colleges, it’s important to examine not only an institution’s intellectual environment but also the city or town the student will call home for several years. Academic success depends on more than just the quality of a program. Also important is an area that is safe, affordable and conducive to personal development through a diversity of cultural and professional experiences.

For in-state students planning to live on campus at a public four-year institution, tuition and fees alone will eat about 39 percent of their total budget, according to the College Board. Factor in room and board, books and supplies, transportation and other expenses. That leaves students — or their parents — with a very thin wallet at the end of the semester, which is all the more reason to make affordability a top priority.

With college application deadlines approaching and campus visits in the offing, WalletHub ranked 280 U.S. cities and towns to find the ones that promise the best or worst combination of academic, social and economic atmospheres. We did so by analyzing 23 key metrics such as the quality of higher education, crime rates and the cost of living. Our findings, as well as expert commentary and a detailed methodology, can be found below.

Overall Rankings

Overall Rank

City

“Wallet Wellness” Rank

“Youth-Oriented Environment” Rank

“Opportunities” Rank

1

Oxford, OH

23

16

1

2

State College, PA

40

2

99

3

Chapel Hill, NC

81

13

10

4

Corvallis, OR

50

23

4

5

College Station, TX

30

42

10

6

Laramie, WY

13

46

22

7

San Luis Obispo, CA

167

11

12

8

Stillwater, OK

15

44

50

9

Bozeman, MT

66

8

71

10

East Lansing, MI

31

15

100

11

Ames, IA

63

48

25

12

Manhattan, KS

27

40

62

13

Austin, TX

105

60

2

14

Mankato, MN

37

43

37

15

Bloomington, IN

25

24

115

16

Iowa City, IA

110

17

35

17

Fayetteville, AR

10

55

86

18

Boulder, CO

185

6

15

19

Charlottesville, VA

158

10

3

20

Gainesville, FL

71

22

64

21

Columbia, MO

56

67

16

22

Auburn, AL

67

68

13

23

Pittsburgh, PA

108

20

29

24

Ithaca, NY

215

1

26

25

Cedar Falls, IA

12

63

56

26

West Lafayette, IN

19

21

162

27

Eau Claire, WI

87

39

45

28

Bowling Green, OH

8

36

113

29

Tempe, AZ

86

29

79

30

Ann Arbor, MI

157

4

47

31

Blacksburg, VA

47

78

41

32

Columbus, OH

33

110

52

33

San Marcos, TX

131

25

48

34

Athens-Clarke, GA

38

52

93

35

Missoula, MT

55

32

120

36

Norman, OK

22

102

64

37

Waco, TX

32

143

13

38

Bowling Green, KY

3

99

117

39

Fort Collins, CO

153

53

9

40

Grand Forks, ND

6

69

87

41

Denton, TX

62

97

34

42

Kent, OH

78

64

67

43

Mount Pleasant, MI

5

3

275

44

Lawrence, KS

64

75

46

45

Tampa, FL

76

57

98

46

Lincoln, NE

36

136

31

47

Cincinnati, OH

26

54

202

48

Newark, DE

251

5

17

49

Murfreesboro, TN

11

135

62

50

Harrisonburg, VA

68

51

132

51

Salt Lake City, UT

91

70

72

52

Morgantown, WV

93

12

220

53

Berkeley, CA

198

31

23

54

Madison, WI

155

45

27

55

Fargo, ND

34

111

105

56

Knoxville, TN

29

91

146

57

Buffalo, NY

48

81

124

58

Charleston, SC

159

26

61

59

Kalamazoo, MI

16

28

269

60

Reno, NV

14

105

171

61

Carbondale, IL

35

14

272

62

Santa Cruz, CA

173

37

53

63

Atlanta, GA

119

33

139

64

Orlando, FL

53

77

112

65

Pasadena, CA

192

59

5

66

Baton Rouge, LA

45

100

145

67

Burlington, VT

252

7

20

68

Lafayette, LA

74

127

51

69

Tallahassee, FL

72

89

126

70

Lynchburg, VA

17

113

155

71

Provo, UT

2

122

111

72

Albany, NY

121

18

205

73

Durham, NC

109

123

33

74

Cambridge, MA

240

9

36

75

Davis, CA

217

41

30

76

Lexington, KY

41

141

89

77

Muncie, IN

21

112

175

78

Champaign, IL

126

27

174

79

Chico, CA

118

19

226

80

Lubbock, TX

44

132

108

81

Seattle, WA

191

71

6

82

Raleigh, NC

96

103

108

83

Logan, UT

1

118

140

84

Eugene, OR

94

50

214

85

Syracuse, NY

80

85

142

86

Grand Rapids, MI

102

101

94

87

Flagstaff, AZ

165

38

101

88

Wilmington, NC

142

65

102

89

Nashville, TN

97

166

32

90

Rochester, NY

107

83

149

91

Greenville, NC

24

139

192

92

Dayton, OH

77

94

188

93

Boise, ID

83

104

157

94

Minneapolis, MN

179

72

39

95

Hattiesburg, MS

4

106

274

96

Boca Raton, FL

196

49

66

97

Valdosta, GA

20

61

270

98

Richmond, VA

146

47

167

99

Omaha, NE

28

144

213

100

Columbia, SC

117

56

238

101

Birmingham, AL

18

146

229

102

New Orleans, LA

152

93

78

103

Saint Louis, MO

104

84

212

104

Conway, AR

114

149

42

105

Normal, IL

187

131

24

106

Portland, OR

189

73

75

107

San Francisco, CA

243

82

8

108

Savannah, GA

73

107

237

109

Denver, CO

169

108

69

110

College Park, MD

229

79

38

111

Evanston, IL

248

74

18

112

Springfield, MO

9

145

263

113

El Paso, TX

69

218

85

114

Johnson City, TN

54

148

136

115

Killeen, TX

7

209

194

116

San Antonio, TX

89

214

80

117

Cedar Rapids, IA

103

159

122

118

Somerville, MA

255

30

148

119

Waltham, MA

265

86

7

120

Irvine, CA

231

76

40

121

Urbana, IL

92

98

257

122

Terre Haute, IN

112

90

239

123

Worcester, MA

160

125

102

124

Greensboro, NC

51

173

147

125

Tyler, TX

125

187

74

126

Dallas, TX

122

203

57

127

San Diego, CA

216

66

121

128

Los Angeles, CA

168

150

42

129

Cleveland, OH

124

161

124

130

Houston, TX

135

199

59

131

Saint Paul, MN

188

95

126

132

Boston, MA

235

58

90

133

Santa Clara, CA

273

88

19

134

Bellingham, WA

175

35

245

135

Tuscaloosa, AL

166

115

141

136

Norfolk, VA

123

134

198

137

Duluth, MN

145

109

180

138

Tulsa, OK

75

239

107

139

Washington, DC

220

80

104

140

Oklahoma City, OK

57

256

77

141

Charlotte, NC

98

195

170

142

Huntsville, AL

100

165

209

143

Winston-Salem, NC

43

276

68

144

Providence, RI

204

62

199

145

Long Beach, CA

184

114

153

146

Miami, FL

119

121

254

147

Irving, TX

99

252

42

148

Las Cruces, NM

70

163

204

149

Orange, CA

233

117

57

150

Louisville, KY

85

221

165

151

Las Vegas, NV

130

140

215

152

Tucson, AZ

111

119

266

153

Augusta, GA

65

196

234

154

Corpus Christi, TX

95

266

90

155

New Haven, CT

200

129

134

156

Fort Worth, TX

151

259

21

157

Alexandria, VA

225

92

163

158

Plano, TX

172

208

54

159

Fullerton, CA

234

116

123

160

Des Moines, IA

101

213

173

161

Milwaukee, WI

134

176

201

162

Chicago, IL

203

127

136

163

Torrance, CA

239

130

88

164

Huntington Beach, CA

244

124

81

165

Glendale, CA

174

152

153

166

Akron, OH

106

178

252

167

St. Cloud, MN

176

133

197

168

Chattanooga, TN

61

198

261

169

Lansing, MI

79

137

265

170

Bakersfield, CA

143

240

76

171

Oakland, CA

201

164

114

172

Sacramento, CA

212

96

225

173

Chandler, AZ

171

186

134

174

Arlington, TX

138

233

118

175

New York, NY

230

151

69

176

Amarillo, TX

113

273

55

177

Overland Park, KS

195

193

90

178

Indianapolis, IN

60

244

249

179

DeKalb, IL

182

138

205

180

Spokane, WA

136

156

247

181

Colorado Springs, CO

133

170

250

182

Riverside, CA

190

192

119

183

Albuquerque, NM

88

232

242

184

New Brunswick, NJ

278

87

161

185

Honolulu, HI

256

34

246

186

Roseville, CA

260

147

81

187

Arlington, VA

223

142

133

188

Virginia Beach, VA

202

160

150

189

Clarksville, TN

129

200

158

190

Fort Wayne, IN

59

225

264

191

Kansas City, MO

150

210

175

192

Baltimore, MD

197

158

172

193

Fort Lauderdale, FL

207

126

211

194

Wichita, KS

58

257

260

195

Abilene, TX

183

174

169

196

Fresno, CA

132

206

216

197

Greeley, CO

52

189

267

198

Memphis, TN

39

263

270

199

Sioux Falls, SD

149

228

144

200

Shreveport, LA

116

243

186

201

Mobile, AL

46

238

277

202

Salem, OR

148

154

241

203

Montgomery, AL

84

251

254

204

Toledo, OH

49

194

276

205

Pomona, CA

221

191

116

206

Jackson, MS

42

227

280

207

Corona, CA

246

183

106

208

Rancho Cucamonga, CA

258

190

84

209

Orem, UT

164

177

210

210

Peoria, AZ

154

241

151

211

Gilbert, AZ

181

237

128

212

Thousand Oaks, CA

276

185

142

213

Santa Clarita, CA

237

205

96

214

Grand Prairie, TX

140

274

83

215

Phoenix, AZ

137

250

202

216

Mesa, AZ

147

246

188

217

Brownsville, TX

90

270

205

218

Fayetteville, NC

139

217

208

219

Newport News, VA

163

216

223

220

Saint Petersburg, FL

128

271

159

221

Newton, MA

280

181

28

222

Philadelphia, PA

257

153

166

223

Scottsdale, AZ

266

120

196

224

Detroit, MI

127

268

218

225

Pembroke Pines, FL

241

219

96

226

Naperville, IL

269

168

110

227

San Jose, CA

277

182

60

228

Fremont, CA

274

197

48

229

Henderson, NV

218

229

129

230

Tacoma, WA

193

175

254

231

Little Rock, AR

115

242

273

232

Glendale, AZ

144

223

248

233

Jersey City, NJ

222

211

167

234

Hampton, VA

213

207

195

235

Hartford, CT

194

180

258

236

Anaheim, CA

254

167

199

237

Santa Rosa, CA

263

157

179

238

Garden Grove, CA

250

162

216

239

Lowell, MA

226

172

222

240

Lakewood, CO

211

235

160

241

West Covina, CA

261

179

184

242

Garland, TX

178

269

131

243

Vancouver, WA

228

169

235

244

Hayward, CA

272

155

184

245

Stockton, CA

186

245

218

246

Jacksonville, FL

161

255

224

247

Escondido, CA

245

201

187

248

Modesto, CA

180

224

221

249

San Bernardino, CA

162

249

243

250

Norwalk, CA

208

204

243

251

Oceanside, CA

267

184

182

252

Santa Ana, CA

224

202

227

253

Aurora, CO

205

254

175

254

Oxnard, CA

249

230

152

255

Elk Grove, CA

264

215

156

256

Palmdale, CA

242

220

178

257

Chula Vista, CA

270

188

193

258

Fontana, CA

219

248

190

259

Chesapeake, VA

209

262

190

260

Daly City, CA

279

171

182

261

Hollywood, FL

232

222

233

262

Aurora, IL

268

234

138

263

Laredo, TX

210

279

73

264

Ontario, CA

214

231

253

265

Spring Valley, NV

156

277

236

266

Paradise, NV

141

280

232

267

Anchorage, AK

274

212

164

268

Moreno Valley, CA

236

260

181

269

Columbus, GA

82

253

279

270

Lancaster, CA

247

236

231

271

Port Saint Lucie, FL

253

275

95

272

Hialeah, FL

170

272

251

273

Coral Springs, FL

227

247

240

274

Newark, NJ

206

226

278

275

Joliet, IL

271

258

129

276

Springfield, MA

177

265

228

277

Miramar, FL

238

267

230

278

North Las Vegas, NV

199

278

262

279

Bridgeport, CT

262

261

259

280

Yonkers, NY

259

264

268

Rankings by City Size

Rank

Large City

Medium-size City

Small City

1

Austin, TX

Boulder, CO

Oxford, OH

2

Pittsburgh, PA

Columbia, MO

State College, PA

3

Columbus, OH

Gainesville, FL

Chapel Hill, NC

4

Tampa, FL

Fort Collins, CO

Ithaca, NY

5

Atlanta, GA

Waco, TX

Ames, IA

6

Lexington, KY

Tempe, AZ

Bloomington, IN

7

Raleigh, NC

Denton, TX

East Lansing, MI

8

Seattle, WA

Athens-Clarke, GA

Stillwater, OK

9

Nashville, TN

Ann Arbor, MI

West Lafayette, IN

10

Minneapolis, MN

Norman, OK

Manhattan, KS

11

Omaha, NE

Murfreesboro, TN

College Station, TX

12

Saint Louis, MO

Madison, WI

Blacksburg, VA

13

Portland, OR

Salt Lake City, UT

Mankato, MN

14

New Orleans, LA

Cincinnati, OH

Laramie, WY

15

San Francisco, CA

Charleston, SC

Newark, DE

16

Denver, CO

Lincoln, NE

Charlottesville, VA

17

El Paso, TX

Buffalo, NY

Corvallis, OR

18

San Antonio, TX

Fargo, ND

Iowa City, IA

19

San Diego, CA

Knoxville, TN

San Marcos, TX

20

Tucson, AZ

Reno, NV

Bozeman, MT

21

Boston, MA

Berkeley, CA

Morgantown, WV

22

Los Angeles, CA

Orlando, FL

Fayetteville, AR

23

Charlotte, NC

Pasadena, CA

San Luis Obispo, CA

24

Cleveland, OH

Baton Rouge, LA

Auburn, AL

25

Houston, TX

Tallahassee, FL

Carbondale, IL

26

Long Beach, CA

Durham, NC

Bowling Green, OH

27

Tulsa, OK

Lafayette, LA

Mount Pleasant, MI

28

Dallas, TX

Syracuse, NY

Kent, OH

29

Louisville, KY

Lubbock, TX

Cedar Falls, IA

30

Washington, DC

Eugene, OR

Burlington, VT

31

Oklahoma City, OK

Wilmington, NC

Harrisonburg, VA

32

Milwaukee, WI

Grand Rapids, MI

Kalamazoo, MI

33

Las Vegas, NV

Provo, UT

Eau Claire, WI

34

Chicago, IL

Rochester, NY

Bowling Green, KY

35

Miami, FL

Boise, ID

College Park, MD

36

Indianapolis, IN

Cambridge, MA

Davis, CA

37

Oakland, CA

Richmond, VA

Santa Cruz, CA

38

Corpus Christi, TX

Dayton, OH

Muncie, IN

39

Sacramento, CA

Columbia, SC

Albany, NY

40

Riverside, CA

Savannah, GA

Lawrence, KS

41

Bakersfield, CA

Birmingham, AL

Champaign, IL

42

Albuquerque, NM

Springfield, MO

Grand Forks, ND

43

Fort Worth, TX

Greensboro, NC

Lynchburg, VA

44

Colorado Springs, CO

Killeen, TX

Greenville, NC

45

Memphis, TN

Worcester, MA

Boca Raton, FL

46

Arlington, TX

Saint Paul, MN

Logan, UT

47

Fresno, CA

Norfolk, VA

Missoula, MT

48

Baltimore, MD

Cedar Rapids, IA

Hattiesburg, MS

49

Wichita, KS

Irvine, CA

Urbana, IL

50

New York, NY

Las Cruces, NM

Flagstaff, AZ

51

Honolulu, HI

Santa Clara, CA

Evanston, IL

52

Kansas City, MO

Orange, CA

Valdosta, GA

53

Virginia Beach, VA

Huntsville, AL

Waltham, MA

54

Mesa, AZ

Providence, RI

Normal, IL

55

Philadelphia, PA

Augusta, GA

Somerville, MA

56

Phoenix, AZ

Winston-Salem, NC

Chico, CA

57

San Jose, CA

Fullerton, CA

Conway, AR

58

Anaheim, CA

Irving, TX

Tuscaloosa, AL

59

Detroit, MI

Torrance, CA

Tyler, TX

60

Santa Ana, CA

Lansing, MI

DeKalb, IL

61

Jacksonville, FL

Glendale, CA

Bellingham, WA

62

Aurora, CO

Des Moines, IA

Johnson City, TN

63

New Haven, CT

Newton, MA

64

Akron, OH

New Brunswick, NJ

65

Huntington Beach, CA

Terre Haute, IN

66

Chattanooga, TN

Duluth, MN

67

Plano, TX

St. Cloud, MN

68

Alexandria, VA

Orem, UT

69

Spokane, WA

Greeley, CO

70

Clarksville, TN

71

Chandler, AZ

72

Overland Park, KS

73

Roseville, CA

74

Abilene, TX

75

Arlington, VA

76

Pomona, CA

77

Salem, OR

78

Amarillo, TX

79

Toledo, OH

80

Fort Lauderdale, FL

81

Fort Wayne, IN

82

Shreveport, LA

83

Montgomery, AL

84

Mobile, AL

85

Sioux Falls, SD

86

Rancho Cucamonga, CA

87

Corona, CA

88

Fayetteville, NC

89

Jackson, MS

90

Thousand Oaks, CA

91

Newport News, VA

92

Santa Clarita, CA

93

Peoria, AZ

94

Saint Petersburg, FL

95

Grand Prairie, TX

96

Glendale, AZ

97

Henderson, NV

98

Hampton, VA

99

Gilbert, AZ

100

Pembroke Pines, FL

101

Little Rock, AR

102

Tacoma, WA

103

Garden Grove, CA

104

Santa Rosa, CA

105

Lakewood, CO

106

Hartford, CT

107

Brownsville, TX

108

Stockton, CA

109

Naperville, IL

110

West Covina, CA

111

Lowell, MA

112

Modesto, CA

113

Jersey City, NJ

114

Scottsdale, AZ

115

Fremont, CA

116

San Bernardino, CA

117

Vancouver, WA

118

Hayward, CA

119

Oceanside, CA

120

Garland, TX

121

Escondido, CA

122

Oxnard, CA

123

Norwalk, CA

124

Palmdale, CA

125

Elk Grove, CA

126

Chula Vista, CA

127

Fontana, CA

128

Spring Valley, NV

129

Columbus, GA

130

Ontario, CA

131

Daly City, CA

132

Chesapeake, VA

133

Hollywood, FL

134

Anchorage, AK

135

Springfield, MA

136

Paradise, NV

137

Moreno Valley, CA

138

Laredo, TX

139

Aurora, IL

140

Lancaster, CA

141

Coral Springs, FL

142

Newark, NJ

143

Joliet, IL

144

Hialeah, FL

145

Port Saint Lucie, FL

146

Miramar, FL

147

North Las Vegas, NV

148

Bridgeport, CT

149

Yonkers, NY

Ask the Experts

Higher education institutions contribute significantly to the cities and towns that house them and vice versa. They drive one another socially, culturally, economically and intellectually, making university areas great environments not only for students but also for families, the elderly and other nonstudent groups. We asked a panel of experts to share their insight and advice on the various roles of college towns. Click on the experts’ profiles to read their bios and responses to the following key questions:

How should the city/town factor into decisions about where to go to university?

What are the benefits of living in a college city/town for nonstudents?

Are college cities/towns a good option for retirees? What about families?

How can parents prepare their children for managing finances (student loans, credit cards, etc.) in college?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of going to college in-state versus out-of-state?

How can local authorities make their cities/towns more appealing to both new students and potential residents?

Nicola Alexander

Associate Professor of Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development, University of Minnesota

How should the city/town factor into decisions about where to go to University?

I think that would certainly play a role in the decision because the typical undergraduate would be committing to spend at least 4 years of his/her life in that community. While universities can dominate the culture of a neighborhood or a town, it is still important for student to feel comfortable in the broader community.

What are the benefits of living in a college city/town for nonstudents?

Beyond the economic impact of university/college activities, there are often the cultural benefits of art exhibits, workshops, museums, etc.

Are college cities/towns a good option for retirees? What about families?

The response to the question regarding non-students applies here as well.

How can parents prepare their children for managing finances in college (student loans, credit cards, etc)?

Put them on a budget early (with appropriate consequences). Further, many colleges and universities (as well as community centers) are increasingly offering classes in financial literacy. There is a poster on the University of Minnesota campus that encourages students to live like a student now so that they don’t have to later.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of going to college in state vs. out of state?

In-state tuition is one of the biggest financial advantages of going to college in state. There are certain states that offer reciprocity which allow students that advantage even if they leave their home state. Another advantage of staying in state is the cost and convenience of returning home for school breaks. Going out of state can widen one’s horizons and may provide more long-term opportunities, but the short-term financial advantages seem limited unless you are going to an elite institution.

How can local authorities make their cities/towns more appealing to both new students and potential residents?

Provide good transportation. Most students cannot afford their own car so the ability to take the bus or train to go grocery shopping or simply to see the sites would be a welcome addition to any college town. Transportation is a key feature for potential residents as well and can go a long way in helping the environment, cutting down on traffic jams, and increasing the livability of the community. Supporting the arts and parks (and public places in general) so that there are activities that students and other residents can enjoy while staying in the community

Julie Poorman

Director of the Office of Student Financial Aid, Student Employment Office, and the Financial Services Call Center, East Carolina University

How should the city/town factor into decisions about where to go to University?

Students need to determine if they are comfortable with an urban or suburban environment. Only they can determine their comfort level with traffic, noise, large population balanced against the opportunity to go to museums, art galleries, plays and other cultural events. Large urban centers (like my former home, Boston) are considerably more expensive to live in than smaller cities (like Greenville, NC my current home) but have the advantage of good public transportation so no need for a car, etc. Students need to weigh the pros and cons against their own needs/wishes.

What are the benefits of living in a college city/town for nonstudents? Colleges and universities tend to be an economic engine for the towns in which they reside as well as centers for the arts. Each college town I have lived and worked in was a center of economic activity for the county. There is generally a ready population that earns a middle class income which leads to shops and restaurants that cater to the middle class – bakeries and gyms and clothing, book and furniture stores. There also tends to be more medical/dental care providers and pharmacies because you have a population who has health insurance and can afford to seek treatment when/as needed.

Are college cities/towns a good option for retirees? What about families?

Yes and yes.

How can parents prepare their children for managing finances in college (student loans, credit cards, etc)?

I would certainly hope that parents would encourage their children to get jobs by their junior year in high school. Teach them how to save and defer gratification for bigger items. Teach them to balance a check book (and keep a check register for tracking their debit card purchases just like you would if you wrote a check) and not trusting an on-line balance alone.

Have a conversation about costs, a frank conversation about what parents can afford to provide, what parents expect the student to provide (see that job thing again at a minimum over the summer of junior and senior years – saving for books if nothing else). Help parents and students understand that borrowing a student loan is an investment in the students’ future. If the student is not doing well in college or hates their major – then a student loan becomes a less valuable investment because it is unlikely to payoff in employment opportunities later.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of going to college in state vs. out of state?

Again, the family needs to have a frank ‘kitchen table’ conversation about what they can afford. If the student wants a teaching degree – there is a minimum of one college in every state where the family can pay in-state tuition and earn that teaching degree. Only really specialized majors – nuclear engineering, veterinary medicine, architecture – for example, are not offered in every state.

Elton Crim

Clinical Professor of Higher Education, University of Wisconsin Madison

How should the city/town factor into decisions about where to go to University?

I think the city or town is very important in the decision making process in determining where to go for college. But not necessarily in the ways that one might initially think. Issues that might be important include the diversity of the indigenous (I.e. folks who grew up in the city or town) population, the diversity of the dietary offerings, the diversity of the social outlets and social offerings available for students, faculty and staff, the quality, sensitivity and diversity of its police and law enforcement agencies both on and off campus and the general availability and affordability of quality student friendly living spaces.

Students need spaces to let off steam in positive fulfilling ways, places to participate in extracurricular sports activities, music and theater venues, restaurants that are diverse and affordable and they may need public transportation systems that function well.

Lastly, a diverse upbeat and economically forward town and gown may offer employment opportunities and internships that can help make college affordable and perhaps even doable from a financial perspective while offering training and experience for future members of the cities/towns work force. It may take a student from four to six years to complete a college degree and that is a long time to be somewhere that’s not comfortable.

What are the benefits of living in a college city/town for nonstudents?

Colleges and Universities provide outstanding opportunities for nonstudents interested in social and intellectual engagement. Theater, dance, musical performers are all often a part of the social milieu offered by the college. If the college or university also has high quality sports teams, then there are available football, men’s and women’s basketball, ice hockey, soccer, swimming, volleyball and in the south you often have baseball teams as well.

In addition to the entertainment offerings, there are world class guest speakers, famous lecturers, continuing and distance educational opportunities, art classes etc.; such that one can develop new skills and hobbies or revisit old ones that may have been set aside.

Finally, college cities/towns often have lower levels of poverty and crime and educated and engaged citizens who are interested in maintaining a high quality of life. In many college cities and towns, people understand the importance and relationship of education for all citizens at all levels and its connection to the quality of life for everyone.

Are college cities/towns a good option for retirees? What about families?

For the reasons mention in the answer above, college cities/towns are great options for retirees. Some issues not mentioned above that would be important for retirees are the quality of the available health care networks. College cities and towns may often be affiliated or have their own medical, and or dental schools, and training hospitals which can provide high quality yet more affordable health care. The primary values of these types of facilities are not to maximize dollars but may be to provide outstanding service while providing learning opportunities for students and research opportunities for their medical and research faculty. Here you may also find cutting edge research on ailments, and illnesses that retirees may experience at some point in their elder years. These same health supports are important for families as well.

How can parents prepare their children for managing finances in college (student loans, credit cards, etc)?

Well, finance discussions often get into values and many of us have a hard time discussing finances with anyone. In addition we often want to make sure that our children have everything they need and in today’s society that often gets translated in having everything they want. I think it is a good idea to start conversations early with the children. Forcing them to learn to save for the things they really want ( i.e. that latest IPod or video game system).

Then, I think it is important to share financial matters with them. How much living costs, mortgage, rent, food etc as well as other important expenses, cell phone costs etc.

Finally explaining the requirements for credit and good and bad uses of credit, how interest rates work etc.; making sure that they understand that you have to pay to borrow money usually not just the amount borrowed but the interest payment on the loan. Young people often grow up with wanting minds and in our culture the constant wanting of things is encouraged by our market based system, but college student could benefit from learning to delay gratification of the wanting mind. Universities all have financial aid experts whose job it is to consult with students and families on the best financial aid options. I have seen students be admitted, enroll and then decide to leave due to expenses without ever talking to financial aid officials. Here though, I think it is a good idea for parents and students to understand that there is a difference between options often offered at for profit versus nonprofit institutions. For profit institutions have a profit motive and may raise tuition while shifting financial aid options from grants to loans. There are a plethora of student loan options these days and not all of them make sense for the student.

Families want to make sure the institution they are sending their child to, is properly accredited and that the learning experiences will be of sufficient caliber to provide the student with the opportunity to compete for a job in the field of their choice. This is important because if the learning experiences are insufficient then the student may have a credential but be noncompetitive in the market while also having to pay back huge amounts of student debt. An example might be a student that wants to be a nurse. In addition to the proper curriculum, are student pre-nursing opportunities in an actual hospital available to students in that institution? Are both the college and the program accredited properly? If they are, than this student will have an opportunity to compete in the job market place. If they are not, then the student will not be qualified for a job and may have acquired huge debt in the process. Finally, student loans in many states have bad penalties for defaulting. Students may be barred from employment in federal or state agencies.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of going to college in state vs. out of state?

Cost!!! Going to school in state almost always is going to be a lower cost proposition than going out of state, both from a tuition perspective but also from a total cost of attendance perspective.

The caveat here might be any states that have reciprocal agreements with each other. In these cases, the states have negotiated similar rates so that they can have some cross state exchange of intellectual capital (students). Minnesota and Wisconsin for example have a reciprocity with each other that allows students from Wisconsin to attend the University of Minnesota or state schools in Minnesota while their students can attend here. Students still have to qualify and be accepted but tuition rates are set more like instate rates for each.

A second caveat is students with high merit. Universities often compete for the best students on an academic merit basis and most have various honors programs and scholarships. If your student qualifies for one of these types of scholarships then going out of state may be of great benefit as costs may be covered by the scholarship. Another advantage is just having the ability to grow up and mature. Today more than ever, parents and children are tethered together in ways that are sometimes unhealthy from a developmental perspective. Young people need to grow up, learn how to problem solve and become adults. With the communication options available today, this developmental challenge may be more difficult than ever. Distance has the possibility of enhancing the necessity of the student figuring out how to problem solve on their own. Of course, the first year is usually the most difficult but if students can get through the first year away from home, they are much more likely to graduate.

How can local authorities make their cities/towns more appealing to both new students and potential residents?

Well I think this is an important question. I think local authorities first of all need to recognize the blessings that colleges and universities bring to a community. Unfortunately, I’ve seen local officials not really think very deeply about the positive economic impact that colleges bring. Colleges and universities bring in billions of outside dollars collectively for research and development, teaching and learning. These are positive high impact opportunities for economic growth but budget battles and over investment in the prison industrial complex and the loss of support by people outside of college towns have eroded support in some states for their institutions in an era when the investments in education are more important than ever.

Other things that authorities should think about are ensuring that housing is affordable for students and families. In our city there has been an explosion of new apartment units but most of them are competing for the high end luxury market and while it is true that increasingly colleges are catering to the children of the elite, for families marginally in the middle class, or for working class families finding affordable housing options while attending school or for starting out as a young couple after finishing your degree, may be next to impossible. This type of dynamic is likely to contribute to brain drain where you best and brightest have to leave the state to find employment and affordable housing while paying back school loans and trying to start their adult lives.

Lastly if we have learned anything in the last few months it is that we have a lot more work to do to make sure that everyone in our city/town is treated fairly and equitably. The universities ability to bring the best and brightest from diverse backgrounds and for the city to retain them depends on everyone having a fair and positive living experience. Police forces have benefited from federal grant programs in the war on drugs and are now becoming over militarized and perhaps too aggressive in some communities. Officials need to make sure that officers are not burned out and that they have been trained not to stereotype, not to harass for no reason and not to harm or treat citizens and students in biased ways. These types of training can’t be one and done; they have to have continuous and ongoing programs. Lastly people, students, faculty and staff need options going out and entertainment in venues in the city. I’ve seen huge disparities in available options for folks of color and also disparities of treatment in the city when problems arise.

Methodology

In order to find the college cities and towns in America that are most conducive to intellectual and personal development as well as a healthy billfold, WalletHub examined 280 cities of varying sizes across three equally weighted dimensions, namely “Wallet Wellness,” “Youth-Oriented Environment” and “Opportunities.” We then identified 23 metrics that are relevant to those dimensions. The data set and corresponding weight for each metric are listed below.

In selecting the cities and towns for our study, we limited our selection to those with a college enrollment size of at least 10,000 students.

For this particular study, we categorized the cities based on the following population sizes:

Large Cities: More than 300,000 people

Midsize Cities: 100,000 to 300,000 people

Small Cities: Less than 100,000 people

Please also note that “city” refers to city proper and excludes surrounding metro areas.

Wallet Wellness – Total Weight: 5

Housing Costs (Rent of a Two-Bedroom Apartment): Full Weight

Adjusted Cost Of Living for Young People: Double Weight

Percentage of Rental Units: Full Weight

Average Monthly Fitness Club Fee: Half Weight

Average Pizza & Burgers Cost: Half Weight

Cost of Higher Education (Tuition Fee Average Weighted by the Number of Students): Full Weight

Youth-Oriented Environment – Total Weight: 5

Number of Students per Capita: Double Weight

Percentage of 18-to-35-Year-Olds: Full Weight

Percentage of Single Persons: Half Weight

Student Gender Balance: Half Weight

Number of Nightlife Options per Capita: Double Weight

Number of Cafés per Capita: Full Weight

Number of Shopping Centers per Capita: Full Weight

Number of Sports Clubs per Capita: Full Weight

City Accessibility (Percentage of Workers Who Bike, Walk, or Take Public Transportation): Half Weight

Crime Rate: Double Weight

Opportunities – Total Weight: 5

Earning Potential for People with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher (Median Earnings – Adjusted by Cost of Living): Full Weight

Percentage of Part-Time Jobs: Full Weight

Unemployment Rate: Full Weight

Entrepreneurial Activity (Net Change in Number of Businesses per Capita on a 3-year Average): Full Weight

Brain Drain (Annual Change in Share of Population with a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher): Full Weight

Job Growth Rate (2008 – 2013): Full Weight

Quality of Higher Education: Double Weight

Sources: Data used to create these rankings were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Numbeo, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Council for Community and Economic Research, U.S. News & World Report and Yelp.